Forensic Science: Crime on File #10 The Case of the Burnt-Out Store
“Please come at once!” says a hoarse voice over the telephone. “This is Joseph Welton. I own a store at 624 Central Avenue. A thief has burned it down – I caught him in the act. I have him here ready for you!”
You hurry to Central Avenue, where the firemen are putting out the last of the flames. The store is practically demolished. A wild-eyed man rushes up to you – Joseph Welton.
“The firebug is tied up in the shed behind the store,” he says. “I came back to the store tonight to do my bookkeeping. As I unlocked the door, I saw one side of the store in flames. Then, on the other side, I saw this bum bending over the cash register, scooping out the money and stuffing it into his pockets. So I snuck up and knocked him out with a punch on the jaw. Then I dragged him out of the store and pulled the fire alarm. I tied him up and dragged him to the shed.”
You follow Welton to the shed, where you see the seedy-looking man, still unconscious on the floor. You note the ugly gash over his right temple as you bend over him to go through his pockets, looking for some identification. The pockets are empty.
“Do you have any idea who he is?” you ask Welton.
“No, I’ve never seen him before.”
“Tell me,” you ask, “do you have adequate fire insurance?”
“Oh, yes.”
“You know, Welton,” you say, “I think you set fire to the store yourself – so you could collect that insurance money!”
The Case of the Burnt-Out Store
“Please come at once!” says a hoarse voice over the telephone. “This is Joseph Welton. I own a store at 624 Central Avenue. A thief has burned it down – I caught him in the act. I have him here ready for you!”
You hurry to Central Avenue, where the firemen are putting out the last of the flames. The store is practically demolished. A wild-eyed man rushes up to you – Joseph Welton.
“The firebug is tied up in the shed behind the store,” he says. “I came back to the store tonight to do my bookkeeping. As I unlocked the door, I saw one side of the store in flames. Then, on the other side, I saw this bum bending over the cash register, scooping out the money and stuffing it into his pockets. So I snuck up and knocked him out with a punch on the jaw. Then I dragged him out of the store and pulled the fire alarm. I tied him up and dragged him to the shed.”
You follow Welton to the shed, where you see the seedy-looking man, still unconscious on the floor. You note the ugly gash over his right temple as you bend over him to go through his pockets, looking for some identification. The pockets are empty.
“Do you have any idea who he is?” you ask Welton.
“No, I’ve never seen him before.”
“Tell me,” you ask, “do you have adequate fire insurance?”
“Oh, yes.”
“You know, Welton,” you say, “I think you set fire to the store yourself – so you could collect that insurance money!”